coercive
adjective
co·er·cive
kō-ˈər-siv 
: serving or intended to coerce
coercive power
coercive measures
coercively
adverb
coerciveness
noun
Examples of coercive in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Traditional regulation is coercive but predictable.
—
Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2025
Because, for good reason, there is little centralized control over pedagogy, there are few swift or coercive ways for a college to intervene.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2025
Many countries understand that a China-centric world would come with strings attached, and Beijing may be unable to resist escalating its numerous territorial disputes in Asia or flexing its coercive capabilities.
—Jeffrey Prescott, Foreign Affairs, 29 Sep. 2025
But the network seemingly caved to the coercive threat instead of fighting for Kimmel.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 22 Sep. 2025
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Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2025
Because, for good reason, there is little centralized control over pedagogy, there are few swift or coercive ways for a college to intervene.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2025
Many countries understand that a China-centric world would come with strings attached, and Beijing may be unable to resist escalating its numerous territorial disputes in Asia or flexing its coercive capabilities.
—Jeffrey Prescott, Foreign Affairs, 29 Sep. 2025
But the network seemingly caved to the coercive threat instead of fighting for Kimmel.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for coercive
Cite this Entry
“Coercive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coercive. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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coercive
adjective
co·er·cive
kō-ˈər-siv
1
: serving or intended to coerce
2
: resulting from coercion
to protect women from coercive intimacy—Kimberle Crenshaw
Kimberle CrenshawLove words? Need even more definitions?
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